Porum GEAR UP Students Tour Northeastern State University

Fifty Porum High School tenth and eleventh-grade GEAR UP students recently toured NSU (Northeastern State University) in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Students began the trip with a greeting from NSU’s Tour Program Graduate Assistant Lorance Washington, presentation speaker Braydin Ballard, and tour guides Ashley Onyemechi, Savanna Zachary, and Patrick Tillman. The morning began with a presentation by current NSU student Braydin Ballard.   Ballard presented students with an overview of NSU, highlighting information on how to become an NSU Riverhawk. Ballard discussed how NSU has 56 exceptional undergraduate and 25 graduate degree programs to choose from and different scholarship opportunities available. Ballard provided students with information about NSU extracurricular programs offered and organizations on campus. Ballard talked with students about what it is like to live on campus and the benefits of getting involved with the different campus organizations. Ballard touched on all three NSU campuses in Oklahoma, discussing the Tahlequah, Muskogee, and Broken Arrow campuses-explaining what each campus offers and the benefits of each campus.   Ballard offered a question-and-answer session at the end of her presentation, where she responded to questions about popular degree programs, athletics, tuition, and grants/scholarship process.   After the presentation, the students toured various NSU’s campus buildings, including RiverHawk Wellness Center, Seminary Hall, John Vaughan Library, and Leoser Hall. Students enjoyed the tour while learning the history of NSU’s campus. The tour ended at the University Center, where the students learned about the RiverHawk Shoppe, Market Café, and the Underground Food Court. After the tour ended, the students enjoyed lunch at the NSU Market Café, where they got to experience what it is like to eat on campus.   The field trip was sponsored by Eastern Oklahoma State College’s GEAR UP program. Eastern received a $17 million federal GEAR UP grant in 2017, and will serve more than 3,000 students in 39 area schools for seven years.

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